How many basses do you ACTUALLY use?

[StatesideRambler]

I have two basses, very different from one another, and mostly I alternate between ‘em every 2-3 weeks. When I go out to play I take the one that’s in the case. I don’t have a fixation with “my sound” and with years of experience I can make a good sound playing most basses of conventional build and reasonable quality. I may toss all that routine into the crapper when I get a fretless.

 

[MF-Winzlow]

Well, I was gonna beat him over the head with them...but SWMBO shut that down...

 

[lokikallas]

I'm in three projects, so it's easy to justify and rotate my 6 or so basses in and out. Mostly it' s based on tuning, 4 vs. 5, drop tuning etc, but sometimes its just a matter of grabbing the lightest to get me through the gig without a sore shoulder.

 

[Charlzm]

I play out a time or two a month in a ska/punk band. If youre not familiar with the genre, the bass very heavily drives the sound. Think reggae, but mixed with swing and get your tone way up and out of the mud. I've been pretty heavily complimented by other musicians on my tone. But I kind of use of a Hodge podge of basses live depending on venue and my mood. I sometime will take out my jazz, but I generally use my EBMM sterling (my personal preffered bass) or I play a Pbass that I slapped a geddy Lee neck on. Pretty different sounds, and of course I have a different EQ for both. Does anyone else do stuff like this? Is this all carrots?

Edited for awful grammar supplied by spell check!

In a hypothetical show by my current band (we are not currently gigging, though we're planning on it later in the year), I would be using 3 different basses throughout the set, dictated by the song.

I guess I could swap out the 5 string for my other 5 string or the 4 string for one of the other 4 strings I have, but I can't swap the fretless 5 for anything.

So... yeah? Depends on the venue, I guess. If it's dive-y, I would take the less expensive options and probably skip the fretless.

 

[saltydude]

Own 9. Use them all for the most part but only use 3 at time during a performance.

 

[dave64o]

I have 25 bass ukes/mini bass guitars which I rotate with my seniors ukulele group that meet twice week and gig once or twice a month. Five are in various states of repair so they're out of the loop temporarily. When we have an upcoming gig, I stick to one during the couple of rehearsals and when it's done, back to rotating.

That set of bass ukes you modded/built has to be THE coolest collection of instruments on Talkbass!


I have five basses and use them all. However, I don’t use all of them in all of the groups I’m playing in. I have two or three favorites that I use in each group.

 

[tminus10]

1

 

[armybass]

I have 11 Basses and use 6 of them regularly. I play in three groups and do sub work too. My rotation is based upon what’s needed for the gig usually.

 

[Jscriv]

Two, one per gig ... a completely non-stock 2002 EBMM Sterling with flats, and what has become my go-to live bass a 1983 Peavey T45 with rounds. I've really cut back, just sold my old 73 LPB Jazz.

I'd like to see this non stock sterling.

 

[mobeme23]

being a newer player, i like to rotate through all my basses to see which one fits best in the mix. it usually comes down to comfort and how the bass sits in the mix. of the three (Alembic Excel-4, Ibanez Roadster-4, G&L L-1505) the G&L seems to be the best overall fit for most gigs. though, i really enjoy playing each of them for very different reasons, and the Alembic can pretty much sound like anything, except for the sound of juggling cats.

 

[TheLowDown33]

I have 3. A P with flats, fretless Jazz with rounds and a Dingwall 6. The P gets most of the recording work where the flats sound is appreciated and applicable, the Dingwall gets the call for anything extended range, or with rounds. The fretless covers all things fretless. I end up playing the Dingwall almost exclusively live because it can wear so many hats and is just an absolute joy to play. I do have most of the sonic palatte covered, but I would still like a short scale Jazz since I have most of the parts laying around, as well as a fretless with some extended high range capability.

 

[Tony In Philly]

I could use a different bass every gig and nobody would notice - and that includes the band.

The only time people get freaked out is when I use my Fender Bass VI:

"Are you running an octave divider on that guitar?"

 

[walking Bass]

I dunno why you’d have an instrument you didn’t play on gigs. HTF can you tell how it’ll behave out in the world if it never leaves the house? There’s no place in my life for a gold plated hammer that never sees a nail.

I have nails at home and no one throws beer around. I can also afford a gold plated hammer and other basses for "playing out".

When I played out frequently, I could only afford one bass. When I got a better paying job I could afford other basses, but didn't have the time for playing out.

One of my pet peaves is the time bands take long breaks between songs, especially when they change instruments and then tune. BB King had the bass line going between songs while he chatted with the audience. His bassist didn't stop from the first note 'till the end of the set. Made me tired, but impressed.

 

[Ronzo]

I use all 9 of mine. Each has a unique sound and purpose.

 

[mattj1stc]

One bass, in part because I only own one. I do EQ for the room and sometimes change EQ and gain for some songs, but mostly I set it once and I’m done.

 

[Steven Ayres]

I'm not gigging much right now, but each bass has somewhat different strengths, at least in theory.

'75 Guild B-301: I bought it new, so it's been with me the longest; single coil, passive, fretted; basic
'80 Guild B-401: Active single, frets; blues and rock
'81 Guild B-402: 2 active singles, frets; funk machine
'90 Guild Pilot Pro V: 2 active singles, frets, 5-string; jazz/Latin
'91 Guild Pilot Pro Vf: as above fretless; jazz/Latin
'89 Takamine B-10: piezo, fretless, extra-long scale, hollow; small-group, small-stage jazz
'86 custom slab: PJ setup, fretless, maple neck; for sale
'02 Englehardt ES-9: the pretty one, for shows and rentals
'52 Kay C-1: unamplified country, bluegrass, Dixie
'53 Kay M-5: roots rock, blues
'40 Kay S-51: jazz
'69 Wurlitzer 7771 and new Squier Bass IV: working on best uses
'50 Kay 200A jazz cello: Just completing refurb, trying it out

 

[JSandbloom]

I play one at a time.

 

[Hundred proof]

I'd like to see this non stock sterling.

Looks pretty stock, but it has two separate and discrete preamps, with a Nordstand 4 coil alnico pickup split into two separate pickups. Each bank feeds one preamp with its own 2 band eq and volume control. The selector switch allows you to use either bank separately or together. Makes for a very versatile bass and it's easy to use.

 

[nostatic]

One of my pet peaves is the time bands take between songs, especially when they change instruments and then tune. BB King had the bass line going between songs while he chatted with the audience. His bassist didn't stop from the first note 'till the end of the set. Made me tired, but impressed.

Just like anything else, if you practice, you get faster/better. I can swap basses before the vocalist finishes "glad to see everyone tonight...here's a tune that's one of our favorites..."

For me it depends on the gig. Some performances are all about being tight and polished, others are about being more laid-back and exploratory. I've done gigs where I never stopped between tunes, and others where I'm laying out for various reasons. The situation dictates the approach.

 

[JRA]

How many basses do you ACTUALLY use?
lately, i count on one of 4 different axes to give me the one 'feel' i want. the other two aren't preferred because: one is heavier than i like and the other is fretted. of the four: i take two to a gig, but i only use one of them, usually.

i rotate to keep from spinning.